A six-month PFAS ambient surface water sampling program is now underway at Tuggerah Lakes on the Central Coast to help determine the distribution and concentration of any PFAS in the catchment.
Until January 2026, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW) will take monthly samples at 19 different locations around the lakes system for a range of PFAS.
Sampling will be undertaken in accordance with national agreed sampling guidelines. Results will be available on the EPA website and all the sampling data will help to develop a broad snapshot of overall background PFAS levels.
NSW EPA Executive Director Arminda Ryan said this information will be helpful in informing future programs to manage PFAS risks and reduce human exposure.
"PFAS is ubiquitous in our environment but it's presence does not necessarily mean that there is a risk," Ms Ryan said.
"Many people are exposed to small amounts of PFAS in everyday life through its use in products like non-stick cookware, clothing, fast food packaging, make-up and personal care products.
"What is useful to assess is levels that have accumulated in our environment as well as possible exposure pathways for humans which is where this ambient testing data will be valuable.
"PFAS is likely to be present in Tuggerah Lakes due to the range of associated industrial activity throughout the catchment such as landfilling, historic use of firefighting foams, on-site sewage management systems, large infrastructure and maintenance facilities, and power stations.
"What we're now interested in is the levels of PFAS in the ambient environment".
The first round of testing results from sampling undertaken in August is now available on the EPA website and shows:
- PFAS at levels below Recreational Water Quality Guidelines at all locations tested and above ecological guidelines for PFOS at 17 locations.
- In relation to PFAS, the community can safely continue to use the lake system for swimming and recreational purposes including boating and canoeing.
Exceedances in ecological guidelines does not necessarily indicate environmental harm, or an unacceptable risk to environment or human health.
Ecological thresholds are designed to be highly protective of sensitive species and ecosystems and are often set far below levels considered safe for human exposure.
